Till debt do us part: US couples borrowed $3.5bn for weddings in 2017

More than one million US adults borrowed money last year to pull off their dream wedding, according to personal finance comparison website Finder.com. The average amount borrowed to cover the costs was $ 3,082.

The special day is unlikely to come cheap with a list of costly things such as a gown, suitable venue, invitations, catering, flower arrangements and limos. Data showed that out of 126 million Americans adults, over one million got married last year.

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Eighty percent of Americans who borrowed money in 2017, to specifically cover wedding costs, massed up a debt totaling $ 3.48 billion, Finder’s study found. Most of the couples (35.7 percent) turned to credit cards or personal loans (28.6 percent) to help finance their nuptials.

The study also found that almost one in five married couples (21.4 percent) borrowed cash from family or friends.

“When it comes to financing one’s wedding, it’s important to not only analyze your ability to pay back your loan, but also to determine any ways you can cut costs while still having a special experience,” said Finder’s Consumer Advocate, Jennifer McDermott.

“Since all loan terms vary greatly, it’s important to assess APRs (annual percentage rates) and agree upon a reasonable average loan repayment period. Once repayment begins, you will be responsible for the principal cost of the loans and the interest it’s accumulated,” she said, stressing: “Remember, one happy day is not worth years of financial stress.”